Rotary fluid compressor, exhauster or circulating machine



March 31, 1936. BRADLEY ROTARY FLUID COMPRESSOR, EXHAUSTER, ORCIRCULATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1933 4 Sheets-sheaf. l

1 I N YEN TOR. b/zw; fflr// TTORNEY,

March 31, 1936. W, B E 2,035,786

ROTARY FLUID COMPRESSOR, EXHAUSTER, OR CIRCULATING MACHINE Filed Oct.1'7, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 2 INVENTOR.

March 31,1936. W, T. sRAbLEy 2,035,786

ROTARY FLUID COMPRESSOR, EXHAUSTER, OR CIRCULATING MACHINE Filed Oct.17, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 I I INVENTOR.

' flag M ZTTORNEY.

March 31, 1936. 2,035,786

ROTARY FLUID COMPRESSOR, EXHAUSTER, OR CIRCULATING MACHINE w. T. BRADLEYFiled Oct. 1'7, 1933 4 SheetsSheet 4 I N VEN TOR.

H .M m 1 T T A U i Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNHTED fiTATS PATENT OFFICEROTARY FLUID COMPRESSOR, EXHAUSTER OR CIRCULATING MACHINE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a rotating machine to be used for compressing,exhausting or circulating a fluid, using a liquid of a higher specificgravity than the fluid acted upon. The liquid in the machine acts as acompressing, exhausting or circulating medium. It also acts as a sealingmedium against back pressure, as a sealing medium between the high andlow pressure chambers of the machine, and as a cooling agent for themachine as a whole.

The important object of the invention is the provision in an apparatusof this character of an arrangement such that a liquid may be used as acompressing, exhausting or circulating medium, a, sealing medium and acooling agent.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I haveshown preferred embodiments of my invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side and cross section elevation of one-half of the machine,taken on a vertical center line and shows the machine as it would appearwhen at rest.

Fig. 2 is a side and cross section elevation of one-half of the machine,taken on a vertical center line and. shows the machine as it wouldappear when rotating.

Fig. 2A is an enlarged cross section of a portion of the machine asshown in Fig. 2 and shows enlarged details of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the shaft or vortex tube in the machine,showing the arrangement of the radial fins in the same.

Fig. 4 is a side and cross section elevation of one-half of the machine,in a modified form, taken on a vertical center line and showing themachine as it would appear when at rest.

Fig. 5 is a side and cross section elevation of 40 one-half of themachine, in a modified form, taken on a vertical center line and showingthe machine as it would appear when rotating.

Referring now to the drawings, a reservoir is generally designated as l.The reservoir has a 5 plurality of radial fins or ribs 2 that extendfrom the sides and bottom of the reservoir and are used to prevent aliquid 3 of relative high specific gravity in the reservoir fromrotating. The reservoir I is a receptacle for the liquid 3, which 50 ispart of the machine and the cycle made by the liquid while passingthrough the machine begins and ends at the reservoir. The liquid 3continues to circulate through the machine as long as the machine is inoperation. The liquid 55 3 in the machine is used as a compressing, ex-

hausting or circulating medium and as a sealing medium in a backpressure seal 12 and a seal l9 located between the high and low pressurechambers of the machine. It also acts as a cool- 60 ing agent for themachine and because of its high specific gravity and the construction ofthe machine it may be used time and time again.

It is obvious that the liquid 3 will seek its level in the reservoir byflowing upwardly through the orifice 4 in the bottom of the hollow 5shaft or vortex tube 5 into the cavity in the vortex tube 5 when themachine is at rest, as indicated in Fig. 1. When the vortex tube iscaused to rotate by an electric motor 6 or other prime mover, the rotorof which is securely 10 mounted on the vortex tube 5, the portion of theliquid inside the vortex tube 5 will rotate with the vortex tube, beingpropelled by the radial fins 1 in the vortex tube. This liquid forms avortex, due to its rotation, and, due to'15 the conical shape of theinside bottom of the vortex tube 5, rises in the vortex tube until it isopposite the liquid distributing ports 8, as indicated in Fig. 2. Theliquid leaves the vortex tube 5 by way of these ports. A continuous sup-'20 ply of liquid is supplied to the vortex tube 5 by way of the orifice4 in the bottom of the vortex tube 5, the liquid being forced into thetube by the static head of the liquid 3 in the reservoir I.

The compressing, exhausting or circulating 2 wheel 9 has a circularcentral recess partially through its axis in which one'end of the vortextube 5 extends. An annular chamber I0 is positioned intermediate theperiphery and the center of the wheel, and the chamber opens on the Flower face of the wheel. Radially extending through the wheel are aplurality of ports 8 which are positioned so that openings through thevortex tube are in alignment with the ports and each port 8 enters intothe chamber ID. The ports 8 I designate as the liquid distributingports. Another port II which I designate as the fluid compressing,exhausting or circulating port extends radially in the wheel 9 from thechamber ID to the outer circumferential bounding 40 surface of thewheel.

The compressing, exhausting or circulating wheel 9, mounted on andattached to the vortex tube 5, rotates with the same. The liquidentering the liquid distributing ports 8 from the top of the Vortex tube5, as above described, passes through the liquid distributing ports 8and, due to the centrifugal force exerted on the liquid while it ispassing through the liquid distributing ports 8, the liquid is thrownacross the fluid pick up chamber ID in the form of drops. These dropsand a quantity of fluid from the fluid pick up chamber l0 enter thefluid compressing, exhausting or circulating ports I I. The drops ofliquid 36 passing through the ports ll, completely fill the ports H asto diameter but not as to length, and the liquid 36 acts as pistons and,assisted by the centrifugal force exerted on them, force a portion ofthe fluid 47 ahead of them out through the back pressure liquid seal I2and out into the high pressure chamber I3 of the machine, the fluid ofrelatively low specific gravity finding its way to the discharge port I4of the machine and the liquid of relatively high specific gravityentering the back pressure seal I2.

Fluid to be discharged enters the machine through the intake. port I5,passes upwardly through the vertically positioned holes E6 in the upperbearing plate I! of the machine into the low pressure chamber I8 of themachine. From the low pressure chamber l8 it enters the fluid pick upchamber I0 of the compressing, exhausting and circulating wheel 9. Fromthis chamber II] the fluid passes through the ports I I and backpressure seal I2 into the high pressure chamber I3 of the machine and soto the discharge port I4 of the machine.

The back pressure seal I2 is constructed around the periphery of thecompressing, exhausting or circulating wheel 9 and is comprised of agroove. The liquid enters the back pressure seal I2 after passingthrough the compressing, exhausting or circulating ports I I, andcollects in the back pressure seal until the seal is full. The surfaceof the liquid in the back pressure seal is in a practically verticalplane, due to the construction of the seal and due to the centrifugalforce acting on the liquid in, the seal, as indicated in Fig. 2. As theupper vertical surface of the liquid in the back pressure seal I2 iscloser to the center of rotation than the outer orifice of thecompressing, exhausting or circulating ports I I, any pressure exertedon the surface of the liquid in the seal causes a portion of the liquid3c in the seal I2 to flow into the ports The centrifugal force exertedby this portion of the liquid 3a overcomes the pressure on the seal I2.

Liquid entering the back pressure seal I2 from the ports II, in excessof that required for the seal I2, will spill over the upper edge of theseal I2 and drop down to the pressure seal I9 between the high and lowpressure chambers I3 and I8 respectively of the machine, as indicated inFig. 2.

The pressure seal I9 is constructed to prevent the fluid from passingfrom the high pressure chamber I3 to the low pressure chamber I8 of themachine. A portion of the liquid is retained in the pressure seal I9when the machine is at rest, as indicated in Fig. 1. The liquid in thepressure seal I9 is rotated by the pressure seal fin 20, the fin beingserrated on its periphery and attached to and forming part of thecompressing,

exhausting or circulating wheel 9. The pressure exerted by the fluid onthe liquid in the upper portion of the pressure seal I9 causes theliquid in the seal to become unbalanced with respect to the liquid inthe lower portion of the seal I9, the portions of liquid referred tobeing above and below the pressure seal fin 26 respectively, asindicated in Fig. 2. The centrifugal force exerted on the unbalancedportion 2| of the liquid in the seal will overcome the pressure that thefluid exerts on the seal.

The liquid received by the pressure seal I9 from the back pressure sealI2 above enters the upper portion of the seal. This causes anunbalancing of the seal and forces the surface of the liquid in thelower portion of the seal closer to the center of rotation. When thesurface of the liquid in the lower portion of the seal becomes closer tothe center of rotation than the lower edge of the pressure seal, theliquid spills over this edge and so leaves the seal, as indicated inFig. 2. With this arrangement the pressure seal I9 becomes a bypass forthe excess liquid flowing from the high pressure chamber I3 to the lowpressure chamber I 8 of the machine.

The liquid that leaves the pressure seal I9, as described above, willflow through the holes I6 in the upper bearing plate II, through thescreen filter 22 to the deflector plate 23, where it is collected andconducted to the entrance 24 of the cooling coil 25 mounted on theoutside of the machine. The liquid passing through the cooling coil 25by gravity is cooled and returned to the reservoir, leaving the coil atits outlet 26 and returning to the reservoir I in the base of themachine, thus completing the cycle.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a modification of the invention. Thenumeral 2? designates a reservoir, which reservoir is a receptacle forthe liquid 28 in the machine and the cycle made by the liquid 28 whilepassing through the machine begins and ends at the reservoir 21. Theliquid 28 continues to circulate through the machine as long as themachine is in operation. Radial ribs or fins 29 extend from the side andbottom of the reservoir 21 and are used to prevent the liquid 28 in thereservoir from rotating.

The liquid 28 in the machine is used as a compressing, exhausting orcirculating medium, a sealing medium in the back pressure seal and acooling agent for the machine as a whole, all as hereinafter described.

It is obvious that the liquid 28 in the reservoir 21 will flow upthrough the orifice 30 in the bottom of the vortex tube 3| into thecavity of the vortex tube 3| when the machine is at rest, as indicatedin Fig. 4. When the vortex tube is rotating the portion of the liquidinside the vortex tube 3| will rotate with the vortex tube, beingpropelled by the radial fins 32 in the vortex tube. This liquid forms avortex due to its rotations and, due to the construction of the vortextube, rises in the vortex tube 3| until it is opposite the compressing,exhausting or circulating ports 33, as indicated in Fig. 5, leaving thevortex tube 3| by way of these ports. A continuous but limited supply ofliquid is supplied to the vortex tube 3| by way of the orifice 33 in thebottom of the vortex tube 3|, the liquid being forced into the tube bythe static head of the liquid 28 in the reservoir 21 plus the pressureexerted on the surface of the liquid, said surface of the liquid beingpart of the high pressure chamber 34 of the machine.

The vortex tube 3| is attached to the compressing, exhausting orcirculating wheel 35, the circulating wheel being mounted on andattached to the shaft 36 of the electric motor 3'! and rotated by saidmotor. A quantity of fluid from the low pressure chamber 38 of themachine enters the compressing, exhausting or circulating ports 33 withthe liquid from the vortex tube 3|, the liquid 28b entering in the formof drops or short columns that completely fill the ports 33 as todiameter but not as to length. The drops of liquid 28b, assisted by thecentrifugal force exerted on them due to the rotation of the wheel 35,act as pistons and force a. quantity of the fluid 48 ahead of them outthrough the back pressure seal 39 into the high pressure chamber 34 ofthe machine, the fluid finding its way to the discharge port 46 of themachine and the liquid entering the back pressure seal 39.

The fluid enters the machine by way of the intake port 4| and passes upthrough the tube 42 to the inside of the vortex tube 3|, or the lowpressure'chamber 38 of the machine. The fluid passes through the ports33 and out through the back pressure seal 39, high pressure chamber 34and discharge port 40, as described above and indicated in Fig. 5.

The back pressure seal 39, constructed around the periphery of thecompressing, exhausting or circulating wheel 35, is part of the same.The liquid enters the back pressure seal 39 after passing through thecompressing, exhausting or circulating ports 33 and collects in the backpressure seal 39 until the seal is full. The surface of the liquid inthe back pressure seal is in a practically vertical plane, due to theconstruction of the seal and due to the centrifugal force acting on theliquid in the seal, as indicated in Fig. 5. As the upper edge of theback pressure seal and, incidentally, the surface of the liquid in theback pressure seal 39 are closer to the center of rotation of the wheel35 than the outer orifice of the compressing, exhausting or circulatingports 33, any pressure exerted on the surface of the liquid 28a in theseal causes a portion of the liquid in the seal 39 to flow into theports 33, the centrifugal force exerted by this portion of the liquid28a overcoming the pressure on the seal 39.

The liquid of high specific gravity entering the back pressure seal 39from the ports 33 in excess of that required for the seal 39 will spillover the upper edge of the seal 39 and enter the annular recess 43 inthe wall of the machine. The liquid is conducted by the annular recessto the entrance 44 to the cooling coil 45, mounted on the outside of themachine, and passes through the cooling coil by gravity, is cooled andreturns to the inside of the machine, leaving the coil at the outlet 46and entering the reservoir 21 in the base of the machine, thuscompleting the cycle.

Since the construction illustrated is capable of many other forms notherein illustrated, with but slight modifications, I do not wish to beunderstood as limiting myself to the specific construction hereinbeforeset forth, except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a rotary machine for compressing, exhausting, or circulating afluid, a rotatable wheel having a hub, a centrally located cavity and anannular cavity surrounding the hub, a liquid, a reservoir for saidliquid, a hollow shaft on which said wheel is mounted, means forrotating said shaft, means for admitting said liquid to said centercavity in said wheel by way of said shaft, the annular rib or hubsurrounding said center cavity and rotatable therewith, said hub beingperforated with radially extending ports, said ports opening at theirouter end to the annular cavity surrounding said hub, a high and lowpressure chamber in said machine and exteriorly of said rotatable wheel,the liquid supplied to the said center cavity flowing through said portsto said annular cavity, said annular cavity being closed on the sideadjacent the high pressure chamber and open on the side adjacent the lowpressure chamber of the machine, the fluid acted upon entering saidannular cavity in said wheel from the low pressure chamber of themachine, the outer side of said annular cavity being V-shaped with thecenter line of the V in the plane of rotation of said wheel, the pointof said V-shaped side being away from the center of rotation of saidwheel, said annular cavity being surrounded by an annular rib or flange,said flange being perforated by radial ports or holes, said holesopening at their inner end to said annular cavity at the apex of saidV-shaped outer side, said liquid entering said annular cavity from saidradially extending ports in said hub and being thrown across saidannular cavity in the form of drops, said liquid and said fluid enteringsaid radial holes in said flange, and an annular groove on the peripheryof said wheel communicating with said radially extending holes.

2. In a rotary machine for compressing, exhausting or circulating afluid, a wheel having radially extending ports, an annular seal adjacentthe outer edge of said wheel, a liquid for sealing said ports, an inletpassageway in said wheel for guiding said fluid to said ports, saidannular seal having a portion of said liquid therein closing the end ofeach of said radially extending ports in said wheel and preventing thepassage of fluid in one direction through said ports during the timesaid wheel rotates, said annular seal comprising an annular groovetherein, the walls of said groove sloping inwardly and upwardly from theouter extremity of said ports, said ports opening into said annulargroove near the bottom of said groove, the outside edges of the walls ofsaid groove being closer to the center of rotation of said wheel thanthe orifice of said ports, the uppermost surface of liquid in saidgroove being closer to the center of rotation of said Wheel than theorifice of said ports when the wheel is rotating, pressure exerted onthe surface of said liquid forcing a quantity of liquid into said ports;and centrifugal force, due to rotation of said wheel, being exerted bysaid quantity of liquid in said port overcoming the pressure on theseal; and means to rotate said wheel.

3. In a rotary machine for compressing or exhausting or circulating afluid, a high pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber, an annularliquid seal for preventing the transmission of pressure from the high tothe low pressure chamber of the machine, andmeans for permitting theliquid to pass from the high to the low pressure chamber of the machineby way of said annular liquid seal.

4. A wheel, adapted for use in a rotary machine for compressing,exhausting or circulating a fluid, having a central cavity and anannular cavity, a plurality of radially extending ports in Y said wheel,said annular cavity closed on one side and open on the other side, saidradial ports in said wheel extending from said central cavity to saidannular cavity, a portion of a wall defining said annular cavity beingof V-shaped formation with the center of the V away from the center ofsaid wheel, a plurality of other ports having their entrance at the apexof said V- shaped outer side, and an annular groove in said wheel intowhich said last named ports terminate.

5. A rotary machine for compressing, exhausting or circulating a fluid;comprising a motor having a rotor; a liquid; a rotatable vortex tubesuspended in said liquid; a container for said liquid; means in saidvortex tube for the passage of said liquid; the rotor of said motorbeing mounted on said vortex tube, the plane of rotation of said rotorbeing at a right angle to the longitudinal center line of said vortextube; and a compressing, or exhausting, or circulating wheel having apassageway therein and communicating with said means in the vortex tube,said wheel mounted upon and connected to said vortex tube whereby acontiguous passageway for the liquid is provided through said vortextube and said wheel, said motor being adapted to rotate said vortex tubeand said compressing, exhausting, or circulating wheel; and means insaid wheel joining said contiguous passageway Whereby fluid may becarried by said movable liquid in said passageway.

6. In a rotary machine for compressing, exhausting or circulating afluid, a wheel having a plurality of radially extending ports and anannular cavity therein, said ports having their entrance in said annularcavity, a high pressure and a low pressure chamber in said machine, saidcavity open to said low pressure chamber of the machine and closed tosaid high pressure chamber of the machine, a groove where each of saidports terminate, a liquid, a reservoir adapted to retain said liquid,means for the passage of said liquid from said reservoir to said portsby way 'of said cavity, means for rotating said wheel whereby the liquidis forced through said ports in the form of drops or columns of liquidby the centrifugal action thereon, a portion of said liquid adapted tobe retained in said groove to serve as a seal, and means whereby fluidmay be supplied to said cavity in order that the drops of liquid mayforce the fluid from said cavity through said ports and through saidseal into the high pressure chamber of the machine.

7. In a rotary machine for compressing, ex-

hausting or circulating a fluid; a liquid; a wheel having a centralinlet port connected to said liquid for the admission of said liquid andan annular cavity spaced from and surrounding said port; said cavitybeing adapted to admit said fluid which is to be circulated by saidmachine, a plurality of radially extending ports in said wheel andjoining said inlet port and said annular cavity, an annular seal on saidWheel, said seal including a groove and a portion of said liquid in saidgroove, said radially extending ports ter- -minating at said seal, saidseal preventing the passage of fluid in one direction through said portsduring the time said wheel rotates, the side walls defining said groovesloping upwardly and inwardly, said ports opening in the said grooveadjacent its bottom, the outer edges of the walls of said groove beingnearer the center of rotation of the said wheel than the outermostorifice of said ports; a high pressure chamber, said groove terminatingin said high pressure chamber; and a low pressure chamber having anoutlet through said annular cavity, and centrifugal force when the wheelrotates being exerted by the liquid passing through said ports toovercome the high pressure on the seal, and means to rotate said wheel.

' 8. In a rotary machine for compressing, ex-

hausting or circulating a fluid, a high pressure chamber and a lowpressure chamber intercommunicating, a rotatable wheel having an inletfor liquid and an inlet for fluid from the low pressure chamber, saidinlets joined by common ports, a liquid seal for preventing thetransmission of pressure from the high pressure to the low pressurechamber of the machine, said seal comprising an annular grooveconstructed on the wall of the machine, the walls of saidgrooveprojecting inwardly and upwardly, an annular fin or rib serratedon its periphery and attached to the rotating member of said machine andsupported on space relationship from the walls of said groove, saidgroove being Wider and deeper than the thickness and length of said finwhen in the groove, the space between the fin and the Walls of saidgroove being adapted to receive a quantity of liquid, said liquidadapted to be contacted and rotated in the groove by said fin when themachine is in motion, pressure exerted on the seal by said fluid on saidhigh pressure chamber of the machine causing the liquid on the seal tobecome unbalanced, the centrifugal force, due to the rotation of theliquid in the seal, exerted by the said unbalanced portion of the liquidovercoming the pressure on the seal;

9. In a rotary machine for compressing, ex- {hausting or circulating afluid, comprising a liquid, a hollow shaft, a plurality oflongitudinally extending fins in said shaft, the lower interior wall ofsaid shaft converging in cross-sectional area, said shaft having anopening at the bottom and a plurality of openings at the top to form acontiguous passage for a liquid, a wheel mounted upon said shaft andhaving openings therein aligned with the openings in said shaft,

said shaft when rotating elevating said liquid by vortex action to saidwheel, wherein said liquid in drops compresses, exhausts, or circulatesa fluid, utilizing the centrifugal force exerted on said drops of liquidwhile said liquid and said fluid are passing through radially extendingports in said Wheel.

10. In a rotary machine for compressing, exhausting or circulating a.fluid having in combination a liquid; a reservoir for said liquid; ahollow shaft vertically suspended with its lower end dipping into saidliquid; said shaft being hollow throughout its length to form a passagefor said liquid and sonically shaped on the inside bottom, an inlet atthe bottom of the hollow shaft for the admission of liquid from saidreservoir; a plurality of fins attached to the inside surface of thehollow shaft adapted to engage and rotate the liquid inside the hollowshaft when the shaft is rotating; said shaft having openings at its topforming a contiguous passageway from the interior of the shaft for theexit of said liquid; a wheel on said shaft with radially extending portswherein the liquid inthe form of drops effects the compression of afluid in said ports by said liquid due to the centrifugal force actingon said drops when the wheel is rotating; and means to rotate saidshaft.

11. In a rotary machine for compressing, exhausting or circulating afluid, a liquid in a reservoir, a rotatable Wheel having a plurality ofradially extending ports, a fluid inlet groove in said wheelcommunicating with said ports, a groove adjacent the periphery of saidwheel wherein said radial ports terminate, a liquid inlet in said wheelcommunicating with said radially extending ports, said liquid adapted tohave a passage into and through said ports and adapted to be partiallycollected in said groove, said liquid in said groove also being adaptedto cover the terminus of each port and permit the passage of fluid onlyoutwardly in one direction through the radially extending ports duringthe rotation of said wheel, said wheel, ports, groove and liquidarranged to compress, exhaust, or circulate a fluid by contrifugalaction when the wheel is rotating.

WILLIAM T. BRADLEY.

